To the Grave
by ravengal
Summary: [Set in FE:A] Exactly what did Morgan forget when he got amnesia? And just HOW did he get amnesia? Maybe it's for the best he doesn't remember...
1. Origins

Author's note: Well, hi there!

Firstly, there are **spoilers for Chapter 23** contained within. Read at your own risk.

With that out of the way...

Morgan is a concept that has boggled many a mind. Including my own. Can anyone truly come up with a feasible backstory for him/her? Can _I_?

... Well, _you_ tell _me_, I guess.

Please enjoy! And if you find any discrepancies at all, don't be afraid to talk to me about them!

Oh, also... things go slightly differently than you'll remember from the game. This is intentional.

Man, this fic was hard to write... I hope I did a _decent_ job, at the very least. It'll likely be in two parts, coz it was getting a bit too long to be a one-shot.

* * *

**Part One****: Origins**

Robin blinked several times, her mind hazy. What had just happened? It was as though she'd just pulled herself from a dream. Looking down at her feet, she was greeted with the sight of her husband lying face-down on the floor.

"Chrom?" she cried, rushing over to kneel beside him. "Are you alright? Chrom!" She shook him. There was no response. "Chrom, wake up!" She shook him again. Still receiving no response, she flipped him over. "Chrom, I-"

A sharp gasp shook her body. His beautiful blue eyes were blank and lifeless. Trailing her own eyes down his torso, they fell upon the deep puncture wound in his stomach.

"No..." Tears spilled from her eyes. "Chrom..." A sob escaped her throat. It was followed by another. "Chrom!"

The man she loved was dead. The man she'd met only five years ago, when she'd bumped into him in Southtown, was dead.

What was she going to tell their children? He'd never see them grow up. Only a few weeks ago, they'd celebrated their son's second birthday...

* * *

"_Alright, everything's ready," Robin said. "We should go call Morgan inside."_

"_Heh," Chrom replied, "alright then."_

_Robin turned to Lucina. "Come on, hon."_

"_Okay!" Lucina replied._

_She grabbed her mother's hand and the three of them headed towards the door that led to the castle garden._

_Outside, they saw Morgan playing tag with Frederick's daughter, Cynthia. Robin smiled at the sight._

"_I'll call him," Chrom said._

"_Alright, then," Robin replied, stopping at the door with Lucina. Chrom walked several steps ahead of her._

"_Morgan!" he called with a smile._

_Morgan turned to look at his father. "Hey, Daddy!" he replied._

"_You can come inside now! We have a surprise for you!"_

_Morgan's face lit up. "A surprise? For me?"_

"_Ooh!" Cynthia said. "I love surprises! Race ya!" She made a mad dash for the castle._

"_Hey, no fair!" Morgan raced after her._

_Robin laughed as the two children passed her. She was certain her son would enjoy his surprise party._

* * *

Well, at the very least, he'd been there to see his son turn two. It wasn't much comfort, but it was all she had. If only they'd known about the blasted gemstones sooner! If only they'd known just what the Fire Emblem could do! If only, all those years ago, when Validar had assassinated Emmeryn, they'd known not to let him take it.

Something throbbed in the back of her mind. She flinched from the sudden pain, clutching at her head.

_**Robin...**_ a voice inside her mind said.

She cried out in pain. She expected it to last, but it didn't. Soon enough, the voice faded from existence. For the briefest of moments, she wondered what it was. Then clarity hit her like a thunderbolt.

_I... I killed him..._ she thought, her breathing growing shallow, _I killed Chrom..._

Fresh tears spilled from her eyes. She'd killed him. She'd killed her own husband. Another sob escaped her throat. She hadn't meant to, hadn't _wanted_ to, but she'd done it all the same. Just what was she going to tell Lucina and Morgan?

Her eyes suddenly caught sight of something at Chrom's side. It was his faithful sword, Falchion. She stared at it for a few moments, tears rolling down her face. Maybe they could put this thing to use. It was a powerful sword, after all, having been passed down through generations of Ylissean royalty. It would be a fitting gift to their children.

Holding back more sobs, she carefully detached the sheath from Chrom's belt and gripped it tightly. This was all she had left of him.

She had to leave. She couldn't bear to stay here any longer. Her husband's lifeless face was staring unblinkingly at her and she could feel a dark aura surrounding the building. She'd have to tell the other Shepherds to take care of the body.

She was about to move, when she paused. Reaching a shaky hand over his face, she gently pushed down his eyelids. Now it looked like he was sleeping.

Choking back another sob, she stood up and ran from the building.

* * *

The funeral was a miserable affair. All twenty-seven Shepherds and their thirteen children attended, creating a sea of black in the graveyard. Many tears were shed. Several people, including Frederick, opted to give speeches in Chrom's honour.

Throughout the ordeal, Morgan was quiet, though he never let go of his mother's hand. He didn't really know what was going on, but he knew that Daddy wasn't coming home. He and his sister had needed much consoling after being told.

As Robin listened to the words being spoken, sang along with the hymns and watched the coffin being lowered, she felt hollow. Nobody here knew it, but she'd been the reason for this. She'd been the one to deal the deadly blow. Anyone who'd asked had been told that it had been Validar who'd killed him. The truth gnawed away at her insides like a parasite.

_**Robin...**_ the voice said in her mind. _**Join with me...**_

A searing pain ran through her skull. She clutched at her head, wondering what was going on. After a few moments of fighting it off, the pain vanished.

* * *

Several years had passed since Chrom's funeral. A young Morgan had his face buried in a strategy book. His mother was nearby, immersed in her own text.

Suddenly, a cry of pain rang out. He immediately looked up at his mother in worry. "Mother?" he asked.

Robin was wincing, a cold sweat forming on her forehead. "I-I'm fine, Morgan..." she replied.

This had been happening for a few years now, though it had gotten much more frequent as of late. Was there something wrong with his mother? A condition, or something? Her headaches really seemed to be getting worse.

"Are you sure? Do you need anything?"

"N-No, thank you... I'm fine..." She grunted in pain before looking back down at her book.

"Well, alright..."

He glanced out the window. As usual, he could see his sister practicing her swordplay in the garden. She seemed to be getting rather good at it. Perhaps someday soon, she would be allowed to wield their father's old blade...

* * *

Robin had been fighting him off for years now. At first, she hadn't known exactly _what_ she'd been fighting off, but she'd gradually come to learn the truth. Inside her body, she harboured the heart of Grima. What this meant, she wasn't certain. Had the powers merely been bestowed upon her as a chosen one? Or was she actually a descendant of the Fell Dragon? Either way, it was beginning to wear her down. She was growing tired and weak, but she would continue to fight.

_**Robin...**_ the voice said, growing ever stronger. She winced, crying out in pain. _**I have waited long enough, Robin... Join with me...**_

_N-No..._ she thought, clasping her head with both hands. _I won't... I won't!_

* * *

Morgan had been spending the day playing chess with his mother. He had yet to beat her at a game, but he was getting closer with every loss. Not that he minded, because he enjoyed simply spending time with her. He wished he could spend the same amount of time with Lucina, but his sister was far too focused on following in what little they knew of their father's footsteps.

Suddenly, a noise of pure agony escaped Robin's lips. Morgan's head snapped up to see her clutching her head and tightly scrunching her face. Sweat pooled on her forehead, then a single drop fell down her face.

His eyes widened in horror. "_Mother_?" he cried.

She made the noise again. "M-Morgan..." she replied.

"_What's wrong_?"

"N... No, it's... it's fine... I... Argh!"

"Mother!" Robin stood up and immediately rushed from the room. "Mother!" Morgan threw aside his chair and followed her. "Mother?"

As he rounded the corner, he halted. In front of him, her back turned towards him, stood his mother, yet there was something different about her. A dark aura seemed to surround her. A strange sound then began to bubble from her throat. She was laughing.

Morgan found himself shuddering. There was something otherworldly and unnatural about that laugh.

"Excuse me, milady!" one of the castle maids said as she wandered over. "I'm really sorry, but I seemed to have ripped one of your shirts in the wash again! Please forgive me!"

Robin slowly turned to her, allowing Morgan to glimpse the dark smirk on her face. She let out a low chuckle.

"My, what a useless maid you are..." she said.

The maid's eyes widened. "What?"

"And they let you continue working here? If you were a servant of _mine_, such a thing would not go unpunished..."

"B-But I-"

Robin made a strange motion with her hand, creating a small blade of lightning within it. Morgan's eyes widened.

"Now, cease breathing my air." She rammed the blade into the maid's stomach.

The maid coughed and spluttered. "M... Milady..." She stumbled around for a moment, before collapsing to the ground.

Morgan's heart jumped into his throat and got stuck there. He could barely breathe.

Robin chuckled, then let out a burst of maniac laughter.

"M... Mother..." Morgan whimpered.

"Hmm?" She looked over at him. "Ah, it's you." She made her way over to him. His feet screamed at him to run, but they remained glued to the floor in fear. She stopped directly in front of him. "Morgan..."

"M... M..."

She traced a finger along his chin, chuckling. "Don't worry, I won't kill you... so long as you be a good boy and don't breathe a word of this to _anyone_..."

"I... I..."

"I'm enjoying having free reign... and I'd hate for someone to ruin it..."

"I..."

She smirked. "Of course, anyone you tell will _also_ have to be... disposed of."

Morgan could feel his heart pounding against his ribcage. "I... I won't..."

"There's a good boy..." She backed off slightly. "You know, you'd make a decent servant. Much more reliable than that waste of space maid over there..." Morgan couldn't say anything in response. "Think it over. I could always do with a few more loyal followers..."

Turning on her heel, she walked away.

* * *

Morgan was still shaken, long after the castle maid's body had been cleared away and prepared for her funeral. While the castle was abuzz with questions of who might have done it, and why, he couldn't shake the image from his mind. What he'd seen his mother do had been surreal. He could hardly believe it, but he'd seen it with his own eyes. Looking at her now, one could never tell the horrors that he'd witnessed, for she was the same Robin that she'd always been. Just what was going on?

* * *

Over the months, there were more reports of maids being found dead around the castle. At first, Morgan had wanted to believe it had been a one-off, or that he'd imagined it, but that wasn't the case.

Not once did he speak of what he knew to anyone, especially not Lucina. He couldn't bear for her to suffer the nightmares that endlessly plagued him, both day and night. He also didn't wish for her to die.

Their mother seemed to have a split personality. One side was loving and caring, while the other was cold and merciless. Inevitably, the day came where he witnessed another of her murders first-hand.

This time, as he watched with ragged breaths and a tightening chest, she turned to smirk at him. "What's the matter, Morgan?" she asked. "You look a little... pale."

"I... Mother..." he replied.

"Hmm?"

"... Why?" Gulping down the anxiety, he felt some of his strength return. "Why, Mother?" His voice came out shaky. "Why do you keep doing this?"

"Hmm? Why?" Her cold laughter rang out. "Because these lowly castle maids are not worth the ground I stand on!"

"Wh... What?"

She held her arms open. "I am the Fell Dragon, Grima! And I shall wipe this planet clean of its filth!"

His breath hitched in his throat. "Gr... Grima? The... one from the legend?"

She laughed again. "The very same!"

A sliver of hope dared to blossom. "... So, then... you're not really...?"

"Your mother? Oh, but I am! We are one and the same, she and I. We are destined to be joined as one!"

"No..."

"Yes... and, when that day comes, I want you at my side... as my faithful servant!"

"Wha-?"

She gave a low chuckle. "Yes... By then, I shall have the power to do many things... I can take any form you wish... I can even clone you!"

"C-Clone me?"

"Yes. If you prove to be a valuable asset, it would do me well to create a perfect copy of you! Two budding tacticians are better than one, after all..."

"I..."

"Do think it over, child... I'll be waiting..."

* * *

Years passed and the attacks continued, gradually spreading across the town of Ylisstol. Only, now, they occasionally involved what appeared to be the living dead. No one but Morgan, however, knew who was truly behind them.

Each time he witnessed one, he would be presented with the same offer. Did he really want to become his mother's servant? What did she mean by that? He wasn't quite sure. He just wanted her to go back to the way she was before all of this happened. He didn't like what she'd become.

Eventually, the day came where he snapped.

"What would Father think of what you're doing?" he cried.

Robin gave a low chuckle. "My dear boy..." she replied, "who do you think killed him?"

Morgan stumbled backwards in shock. "Wait... what?"

"That's right... _I_ did!" She laughed. "Oh, the words he uttered before he landed face-down on the ground!" She put on a pitiful tone. "Promise me you'll escape from this place... Please... go..." She laughed again, louder this time.

Morgan felt his blood run cold. His knees gave out from under him and he collapsed to the floor.

* * *

Robin just couldn't do it anymore. It had been many years, but she was finally at the end of her rope, trying to fight off Grima. Both her mind and body had grown weak. She'd barely gotten any rest and she was completely exhausted.

She quickly looked around to see if there was anyone nearby. "Grima," she murmured.

_**Yes, Robin?**_ the voice in her mind replied. It seemed slightly more smug than usual.

"If... If I give in to you... can you promise me you won't harm Lucina and Morgan?"

The voice chuckled. _**I certainly could...**_

"Then promise me! Promise me..." Her voice broke. "Promise me they'll be safe..."

_**Very well, then. You have my word they will go unharmed.**_

She honestly wasn't sure if she could trust him. A sense of overwhelming arrogance was permeating her brain, but she didn't have a choice. She truly felt incapable of fighting anymore, so she needed this one last piece of consolation.

"A-Alright... just... let me say goodbye to my kids..."

_**Very well...**_

* * *

"Lucina? Morgan?" Robin said, standing in front of her children.

"Yes, Mother?" Lucina asked with a smile.

Robin flinched. "I'm... going to be leaving you in the care of the castle maids..."

"... What?"

"What?" Morgan asked, his eyes widening.

"I'm... sorry, but your mother needs to... leave."

"Mother, where are you _going_?" Lucina cried. Morgan merely stared at their mother.

"I'm so sorry... I trust the castle maids will look after you, just as they always have... but I need to leave..."

"Wh... When will you come back?" Morgan asked. Robin looked at him sadly, not saying anything.

"No!" Lucina cried. "You're not abandoning us, are you?"

Tears fell from Robin's eyes. "I'm sorry..." she said. "I love you both so much... as I'm sure your father did... but you'll be safe, I promise..."

"Mother, no..."

"I'm sorry, I... Goodbye!" Robin ran from the room.

"Mother!"

"Mother!" Morgan cried.

Both siblings chased after their mother, dashing down corridors in a crazed attempt to catch her.

"Mother!" Lucina cried.

"Mother!"

By the time they reached the entrance to the castle, Robin had disappeared from sight.

* * *

On and on Robin ran, far away from the castle. Tears streamed behind her and she didn't dare look back. From this point on, there was only forward.

Eventually, legs burning, she collapsed on the grass, panting.

"I... did it... Grima..." she said. "Now... do what you will..."

Laughter echoed in her mind. _**Excellent...**_ the voice replied. **_Now, we shall finally be one..._**

After a moment, she felt a searing pain in her head. She screamed in agony. Instead of clutching her head, like she would normally do, she chose to let the pain consume her.

Soon, she felt her entire existence begin to fade away. Now, at last, there would be no more fighting and no more pain. She could only hope that Grima kept his promise...


	2. Memories

Author's note: Hi!

... Yeah, I know. This fic is really hard to write for, though! Not only is the plot super complicated and hard to piece together, but I just _had_ to write part one in such a complex style... I gave myself way too much work. XD Not to mention, the plotline for part two has changed so many times, it's ridiculous.

Anyway, part two is finally here! Yay! (And it's much longer than chapter one. XD) I hope you enjoy it!

... Also, the idea for this fic is for the plotline to suit any and all Morgans (male or female) from first-generation parents. Obviously, only Chrom!Morgan would be travelling with Lucina, but I like to think the story would play out very similarly if he/she was somebody else's child. You can use your imagination for how things might change.

And, of course, this plotline would never work for a second-generation Morgan or a SpotPass Morgan. That's a whole other ballpark...

P.S. Having noticed a plothole, I went back and altered something in part one. Origins, now with more zombies!

P.S.S. This is not quite the end of the fic. There will be an epilogue after this chapter to tie up any loose ends. Yay.

* * *

**Part Two****: Memories**

Morgan pulled his brown cloak tighter around his shoulders as he surveyed the cold night air outside the run-down store. It had been quite some years since their mother had mysteriously vanished and the world had gone to ruin. Ever since then, he and his sister had been on the run, fighting off the undead hordes that had come to be known as Risen and seeking shelter wherever possible. They had no destination. No goal, except survival.

From what he'd been told in his youth, the lands used to look as different as night and day. Now, however, endlessly trekking through them, he could hardly tell one from the other. Only miniscule landmarks that hadn't yet been claimed by the fires or the Risen gave him any indication of where he was.

Some time ago, though he forgets how long, exactly, one store they had camped in had an almost exact replica of the outfit the Hero-King used to wear. Spellbound by the feeling of power and importance it radiated, Lucina had traded in her pauper's clothes to wear it. Morgan had gotten slight amusement out of the fact that it was rather snug on her chest, clearly made for a man, rather than a woman. Regardless, it suited her well.

"Morgan!" Lucina called out breathlessly from the back of the store. "Come and look at what I found!"

Curious, Morgan took one last look outside before heading towards his sister's voice. Once he found her, he discovered that she was holding out a dusty piece of clothing on a clothes hanger.

He squinted at it. "What's that?" he asked.

"Look more closely."

He did as requested, stepping closer. When realisation hit him, his breath caught in his throat. "No way..."

It was a purple cloak, the intricate designs running down its sides making it an exact replica of the one their mother used to wear.

Memories flooded his brain, one after the other; the good ones, the bad ones and the terrible ones, all at once. He had to fight down the painful lump in his throat.

Lucina's next question was soft. "Would you like it?"

Unable to respond, Morgan simply nodded.

* * *

That night, as Lucina slept peacefully beside him, Morgan stared out into the darkness of the store. He never had any desire to sleep. If he could, he would wish away the ability to sleep altogether, to avoid the nightmares that haunted him so frequently.

His mind's eye could see it as clearly now as it had then: the image of their mother, within whom resided a much darker force. One that was sinister, malicious and not at all like his host.

Sometimes, Morgan's thoughts betrayed him. Many a night, he had lain awake, pondering if he should have accepted Grima's offer. Being the servant of his mother's new occupant was surely better than nothing at all? He wasn't sure.

He had never voiced his concerns to Lucina, nor did he intend to. Not only did Grima's warning ring in his ears every time he considered it, he also didn't want to worry his sister. She had enough to despair over in this wretched world as it was.

* * *

Morgan smiled at his sister. "Thanks, Sis," he said.

"Honestly, Morgan..." Lucina said, dabbing at his bloody nose, "this is the fifth time today..."

"Yeah, I know! I've no idea why it keeps happening."

"Me neither." Lucina pulled away the soiled handkerchief. "There we are." She threw it into the nearest waste basket. "Hopefully, it won't do it again."

Morgan chuckled. "You said that the _last_ four times, too."

"I suppose I did."

Suddenly, there was a loud clash of weapons outside the building they were hiding in. Lucina and Morgan jumped to attention, their hands immediately clutching at their respective weapons. Quickly, and quietly, they checked through the broken windows for signs of life, undead or otherwise.

Their eyes landed on the unmistakable forms of the Risen. There were at least ten of them, crowding together, their weapons swinging around wildly at something Morgan couldn't see.

"Oh, gods, no..." Lucina muttered, "someone's being attacked!"

"We need to go help them!"

As they ran outside, they drew their weapons. Coming to a stop just enough distance away, Morgan opened his Elfire tome and shot a burst of fire at the crowd.

Hitting the back of one of the Risen caused it to flinch. Immediately rounding on the two of them, it charged in their direction, several of its allies accompanying it. Standing their ground together, Lucina and Morgan fought them off as a pair.

Morgan was grateful that his sister was so skilled at combat, especially since she had helped him become stronger, as well. When they'd been younger, she'd spent hours observing their father, learning all of his techniques, while Morgan, himself, had spent those same hours attempting to read strategy books with their mother. Gritting his teeth, he blasted fire into another undead face.

Turning to see how the mystery person was faring, he caught sight of a flash of dirty brown hair before the figure gave a battle cry.

Half of the Risen that were surrounding him started falling to the ground, one after the other, immediately dissolving into purple dust. Lucina and Morgan halted their assault in shock as they saw the face of the human in the crowd.

"Wait a moment..." Lucina said, "isn't that...?"

"Ha! Child's play!" the figure called. He continued to attack, while dodging return blows. "Fall before me, nightly abominations! My hand hungers for undead flesh!"

"Hmm-hmm-hmmmm~!" a voice from the sky called out.

After downing another Risen, Morgan took the chance to glance upwards. High above him, he could see someone with dark brown hair on a pegasus heading their way, lance outstretched.

"Wait," he said, "isn't that...?"

"Time to pay!"

The steel lance impaled itself on one of the Risen, immediately being withdrawn to impale another, then another. Between the four of them, the area was soon cleared of undead soldiers, their remains dissolving into the night air. Breathing sighs of relief while putting away their weapons, they took the opportunity to look at one another.

"Owain?" Lucina asked in shock. "Cynthia?"

"Lucy!" Cynthia cried happily, jumping off her pegasus and running towards them. "Morg!"

"I can't believe it's you two!" Owain said, smiling.

Cynthia tackled Morgan in a hug that almost made him fall over. "You're alive!"

"Hey, Cynthia!" Morgan replied, wobbling slightly.

"I'm relieved to see that you two are alive as well!" Lucina said.

"It's been so long since we've last seen each other!" Cynthia said. "How are you holding up, Morg?"

"I'm doing okay, thanks," Morgan replied with a smile. "How about you?"

Cynthia grinned as she let go of him. "Not so bad, thanks!"

"Is there anyone else travelling with you two?" Lucina asked.

The smile slipped off Owain's face. "... No, it's just us," he replied.

Cynthia also stopped smiling. "Yeah..." she agreed.

"Uncle Stahl?" Lucina asked with a tinge of hope. "Aunt Lissa?"

Owain silently shook his head.

"Frederick?" Morgan asked. "Sumia?"

"Nope..." Cynthia replied sadly.

Lucina heaved a deep sigh. "It seems we have all lost our parents to this war..." she said quietly.

"Yeah..."

"Seems like it..." Owain replied.

There was a long, awkward pause that rang heavy with memories lost. After what seemed like an eternity, Cynthia spoke.

"So, uh..." She looked between Lucina and Morgan. "Since there's strength in numbers, can we join you guys?"

Morgan smiled. "Sure," he replied. He turned to his sister. "That's alright, isn't it, Lucina?"

Lucina nodded, a ghost of a smile on her face. "Of course," she replied.

* * *

"... I'm not even sure how long it's been since Morgan and I left home..." Lucina said, the four of them seated inside their encampment. "Of course, our father was killed when we were very young... and our mother... vanished some years ago."

"Oh, man, that's harsh..." Cynthia replied. After a moment's pause, she continued. "My mother and father left to fight in the war, but... only my mother's pegasus came back." She glanced over at the pegasus in question, who was lying nearby. Looking back again, she continued. "I was travelling alone for a long time, until I met up with Owain."

"Yeah..." Owain said, "I was with my mother, until recently..." He was silent for a few moments. "She got really badly hurt... and, since I couldn't use her staff, there was nothing I could do... but she kept on smiling, even when she knew she was dying..." He paused again. "She was always smiling... She gave people hope, even in a hopeless world."

"That's... rather beautiful, Owain," Morgan said.

"Beautiful and tragic..." Cynthia said mournfully.

"As for my father," Owain said, "he... died a lot sooner... from a stray Risen attack." He seemed to wince as he said this.

"I'm so sorry..." Lucina muttered.

The rest of the night was spent mostly in silence.

* * *

As the four fighters continued their aimless journey across the lands, they began to encounter more and more familiar faces from their past. At first, it seemed to be a coincidence that they were coming across the orphaned children of their parents' friends, but Morgan eventually came to wonder if it was fate guiding them to one another.

Some of them relayed various rumours that they'd heard whilst travelling, the most disturbing one being how Chrom had been murdered by someone close to him. Lucina's lips formed a very tight line as she heard this news.

The day they encountered Nah, she told them a few interesting things. Firstly, she had never truly known her parents. When she'd been a baby, they had apparently left her in the care of a foster family as they'd gone to take care of a large group of bandits, but had never returned. Secondly, from being in constant contact with Naga, she'd learned of a rite known as the Awakening, which was to be performed with the Fire Emblem and its five gemstones. Apparently, it could only be performed by someone with the Brand of the Exalt and was the only way to rid the world of Grima.

Immediately, the group set out on its quest: to discover the location of the Fire Emblem and its gemstones.

* * *

By the time all thirteen children had found one another, they knew the locations of what they had been searching for. However, since they had asked a lot of questions across various lands, it was quite likely that news had spread to Grima. If not, it most likely would sometime soon.

"Alright..." Lucina said, glancing over her small army, "now that we know where the Fire Emblem and the gemstones are, I suggest we split up and search for them."

Her plan was met with bedlam.

"_Excuse_ me?" Severa snapped. "_Split up_?"

"That sounds really dangerous..." Noire muttered.

"That _sounds_ like suicide!" Brady yelled.

"I don't like this plan!" Yarne cried.

"We can't split up, Lucy!" Cynthia cried.

"If you would elaborate on this rather illogical decision..." Laurent said.

Several other responses were lost in the sea of shouting.

"Everyone!" Lucina cried. There was immediate silence. "Please... I know this seems impractical... but it's not as if I haven't considered all options before suggesting this..." No one responded. "I have no doubt that Grima will soon learn of our intentions... Therefore, it's imperative that we retrieve the Fire Emblem and its gemstones before it is too late." Several members of the army responded positively. "Very well, then..." She paused for thought. "Cynthia, Kjelle, Noire and Nah, you four will retrieve Gules and Azure."

"Got it!" Cynthia replied with a grin.

"No problem!" Kjelle replied, smirking.

"O-Okay..." Noire replied.

"Alright," Nah replied.

"Owain, Inigo, Brady and Yarne," Lucina continued, "you four will retrieve Argent and Sable."

"My sword hand twitches..." Owain replied dramatically.

"You can count on us!" Inigo replied with a grin.

"Lemme at them gemstones!" Brady replied.

"W-Well, alright, then..." Yarne replied.

"Severa, Gerome and Laurent," Lucina continued, "you three will retrieve the Fire Emblem and Vert."

"Not a problem," Severa replied with a wink.

"We will get the job done," Gerome replied. "Won't we, Minerva?" His wyvern howled in response.

"We shall retrieve them with due haste," Laurent replied.

"As for Morgan and I..." Lucina continued, "we shall remain here in Ylisse and help the remaining civilians in any way we can."

"Okay!" Morgan replied with a smile.

"This way, there will be multiple targets, should Grima catch on to our plan." She paused. "When you all return, let us meet up again in the castle." She cast a longing glance at her former home in the distance. After a moment, she directed her attention back to the troops. "Do any of you have any questions?" The prompt was met with silence. "Very well, then. I wish you all a safe journey. Let us put an end to this menace, once and for all."

* * *

Without any sense of time, it was unclear how long Morgan and Lucina spent in Ylisse. Taking various shelters each night, while fighting off undead hordes, they patiently awaited the day that the others would return.

One evening, however, while they were patrolling Ylisstol, they were ambushed by a particularly nasty horde of Risen. They attempted to fight them off, but were unable to stop all buildings in the area being set ablaze. Seeking shelter, they ran to the castle. As expected, the Risen followed them.

The few soldiers that were scattered around attempted to help, but most were killed with little effort. Morgan was separated from Lucina as she ran off to help one of the soldiers. Regardless, he continued to slash and blast his way through the crowd.

After a while of fighting, he heard an almighty explosion. Turning on his heel, he realised that it had come from the room that Lucina was currently in. Concerned for her safety, he ran in that direction.

He only took a few steps into the room when he froze in horror. An entire section of the castle had been completely blasted away, the rubble lying in piles on the half-destroyed floor. Just as he was about to move and check on his sister, a chillingly familiar voice rang out from the fog, causing the blood in his veins to turn to ice. The accent may have been different, but he knew the voice anywhere.

"So ends the human race..." it said. "The future is built upon the past... but your kind shall never see it!"

With the lifting of the fog, the most horrifying sight entered Morgan's vision. It caused his heart to get caught in his chest and throb painfully. Before him, leering down at Lucina, was a line of gigantic glowing red eyes.

"Grima..." he muttered, his throat feeling drier than a desert.

"Your mother and father... are dead, tiny one." Giving a low laugh, Grima slowly moved away, positioning himself to look directly at Lucina. His draconic form towered over her. "And, now, it is _your_ turn..." He lunged towards her, his open mouth revealing razor-sharp teeth lining his throat. "To _die_!"

As Lucina screamed, Morgan suddenly found the strength to move. Grabbing his Elfire tome, he ran into the room and blasted a ball of fire at Grima's face. Striking him on the jaw, it caused him to cry out, momentarily stunned.

Taking the opportunity, Morgan ran over and grabbed his sister by the arm. "Lucina!" he yelled. "Come on, let's go!"

She turned her horror-stricken face towards him, cold sweat pouring down it. After a few moments, she collected herself and nodded. Then the two of them ran from the building.

* * *

Eventually, once the thirteen teenagers had been reunited, the land around them little more than rubble, the Fire Emblem and four of the gemstones were handed over.

"... Where is Vert?" Lucina asked with trepidation.

Severa, Gerome and Laurent looked at one another awkwardly. It was a short while before Laurent broke the silence.

"Our humblest apologies..." he said. "We regret to inform you that Vert was destroyed in our attempt to retrieve it."

A gasp resonated through the army.

Lucina's voice came out as a hoarse whisper. "What?"

"There were Risen everywhere," Gerome explained with a grimace. "Not enough to present any real problem, but the gemstone was destroyed in the struggle."

"Those stupid Risen!" Severa cried in outrage. "They totally did it on purpose! _Now_ what are we supposed to do?"

Immediately, everyone turned to look at Nah.

She blinked in puzzlement. "What?" she asked.

"Please, Nah..." Lucina pleaded, "please tell me that Naga has a solution to this... Can the Awakening still be performed with only four gemstones?"

"I'll ask." She closed her eyes. There was an agonisingly long pause as she proceeded to silently talk to the Divine Dragon. Eventually, she opened her eyes, looking forlorn. "No... she said that you need all five, or it'll never work."

Lucina wobbled for a few moments, then collapsed to the floor. "No... Oh, gods, no..."

"... Though she did say she had _another_ idea."

Every head snapped up to look at Nah.

"Wh-What is it?"

"She said to meet her at Mount Prism and then she'll explain."

After a moment, Lucina leapt to her feet, determination on her face. "Alright, then. Let's head to Mount Prism."

* * *

The trip to the sacred ground of Mount Prism was not uneventful. Along the way, they fought off many Risen, forever wary that Grima may soon catch on to their plan.

The grounds themselves were rather unremarkable, having clearly been ravaged by the Risen, though they had still managed to retain some of their former beauty. For that reason alone, they were spellbound by the sight.

When they eventually stepped inside the temple, they were greeted by the sight of an impressive dragon statue, positioned on top of an altar. They walked over to it, their eyes scanning the building.

"Naga?" Lucina called out as they stopped in front of the altar. "Are you here?"

A translucent image of the Divine Dragon appeared before them, floating in mid-air. "Be welcome, warriors..." she said, her voice echoing throughout the temple.

Lucina stepped forward. "Without Vert, the Fire Emblem has been rendered useless. You say there is another way to defeat the Fell Dragon?"

"Yes... There is..."

"And what is that?"

"Heed me... Without the power of the Fire Emblem, there is but one way to defeat Grima... You must travel back through time and prevent his reign from ever beginning..."

Several gasps could be heard in the room.

"... Time travel?"

"Yes..."

"Now, wait just a minute!" Severa snapped. "What about _you_? You're the Divine Dragon! Shouldn't _you_ be able to defeat him?"

"Yeah!" Cynthia agreed happily. "You two could get into a big ol' dragon fight and blast lasers at each other!"

"Indeed!" Owain agreed. "'Twould be a conflict unparalleled o'er the eons of history! The pinnacle of justice, versus the blackest of evils! Many an alehouse would resonate with the euphonious melody of your battle!"

Naga closed her eyes. "Would that I could, warriors..." she replied. "Alas, I hold no such power..."

"Whaddaya mean?" Brady asked.

"Neither I nor Grima have the power to destroy one another utterly..." She opened her eyes. "However, my power is enough that I may open a portal... It is a drastic measure I only wished to take as a final resort... but it seems that the fated hour is upon us."

"You want us to mess with fate?" Gerome asked warily.

"Indeed... It remains the only path to victory in this world..."

"... Then so be it," Lucina replied.

Nodding, Naga closed her eyes again, chanting an incantation. After a few moments, a hole began to tear itself through the fabric of space and time. Upon stretching it to an optimal size, Naga reopened her eyes.

"Whooooa..." Cynthia said.

"The portal awaits..." Naga said. "Take heed, however... Though it has been set to a time before the birth of the exalted princess... it possesses a certain instability... It is unlikely that you will all arrive at the same destination..." The group looked at each other, each face looking contemplative. "There is also the chance that, should fate be altered in the past, this future world will reshape to the extent that re-entry is no longer possible..."

"_What_?" several voices screeched at once.

Lucina took a deep breath. "... If that is the risk I must take, then so be it," she said.

"Lucina..." Morgan said, impressed, as he glanced at his sister.

"There is also the chance," Naga said, "that, in the past, you will encounter people you know and love... since death will not yet have befallen them."

Morgan saw his sister tense beside him. "Lucina?" he asked.

"Lucy?" Cynthia asked.

After a moment, Lucina attempted to collect herself. However, the slight tremble in her shoulders betrayed her anxiety.

"Are you alright, Lucina?" Morgan asked cautiously.

"I..." she replied. "I..." There was a pause.

"... You worried 'bout seeing your folks again?" Brady asked.

"Ah," Laurent said. "Yes, that would be a significant emotional stimulus for her current state of mind."

Wordlessly, Gerome reached into his bag. Pulling something out, he walked over to Lucina and held it out for her. It was a dark blue butterfly mask.

"Here," he said.

"Huh?" Lucina replied, turning to him.

"You can wear this. It will help mask your emotions."

"Gerome..."

"You also may have to conceal your identity."

"What do you...?" She paused, then raised a hand to her left eye. "The Brand..."

"Yes."

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you." She moved to grab the mask, but halted. After pondering something, she reached behind her head to tuck her long hair into her shirt. Taking the mask from Gerome, she placed it on her face.

"Wow, Lucy!" Cynthia said. "You look just like those paintings of the Hero-King! Except with a cool mask!"

"A fitting guise for a fellow scion of legend!" Owain said.

"Thank you," Lucina replied. She took a deep breath, turning back towards the portal. "I believe I am ready now."

"Very well..." Naga replied. "You may leave the Fire Emblem and its gemstones with me... I shall dispose of them, as they are no longer useful to you..."

"Alright." Lucina took out the Fire Emblem and four gemstones, walking over to place them by the side of the altar. "There we are." She turned to her comrades. "Now... it is time to save our future!"

"Yeah!" several voices cried out in response.

"Let's do this!" Cynthia said.

"We gots some heinie to kick!" Brady cried.

"We shall traverse the seas of time in our quest for a brighter horizon!" Owain said.

Nodding at everyone, Lucina turned and ran towards the portal. Immediately, the others began to follow her. One by one, they disappeared single-file into the void, Cynthia and Gerome climbing aboard their mounts before entering. The only one that stayed behind was Morgan.

His eyes remained on the portal for a while as he pondered something.

"Do you not wish to join them?" Naga asked.

He turned to her. "Yeah, but..." He paused, steeling himself. "Naga?"

"Yes?"

"... Can you... Do you have the power to... erase memories?"

"Hmm... Is there a memory you wish to forget?"

"Yeah... I... Most nights, I get nightmares about... something that traumatised me as kid..." He gave a determined frown. "If I'm gonna go the past and save the future, I don't wanna be held back by these memories."

"Hmm..." She closed her eyes. "Indeed, it is within my power... However..." She opened her eyes again. "It is an unstable power... It is not one I would wish to use, as there is a chance it could erase more than the intended memories..."

Morgan's hopes fell. "Oh..."

He may have been desperate to rid himself of the memories of his mother, but there were plenty of memories that he wished to keep. Those of his father, his sister and his friends were among the most precious.

Before he could think of this any longer, the door to the temple was blasted open. Whirling around in shock, he came face-to-face with his mother, who was wearing a sinister smirk. The area around her was completely covered in Risen.

Wordlessly, she raised her arm, causing a line of spikes to rise from the ground straight towards them. Morgan leapt to one side and Naga leapt to the other, both of them landing painfully on the stone floor.

His mother. This same entity had attempted to kill his sister not long ago. It was no longer his mother; that much was clear.

Still saying nothing, Grima pointed at the portal. Immediately, the Risen around him stood to attention and ran towards it. Before Morgan could do anything to stop them, they had already followed his sister and friends through time.

"No..." he muttered hopelessly.

Grima laughed darkly as he strode towards the portal. Morgan heard Naga chanting something from the other side of the room, but a second line of spikes from Grima silenced her.

"Now, now, Naga..." Grima said, "I can't have you interfering again... I may not be able to kill you, but I can certainly keep you quiet." Stopping in front of the portal, he turned to smirk at Morgan. "Morgan... I see you chose your side... A poor choice on your part." Morgan glared at him. He laughed. "Your big sister thinks she can stop me? I am despair!" He smirked. "Though I promised your dear mother you would go unharmed, I didn't say for how long..."

Morgan's eyes widened in shock. With a mocking wave of goodbye, Grima jumped into the portal.

Wordlessly, Morgan stared after him. A few moments later, anger bubbled to the surface, then immediately boiled over.

"Get back here, Grima!"

Withdrawing his steel sword, he ran over to the portal and jumped in after him.

* * *

Now that Grima was in the portal, his powers in Naga's world had faded and she could move again. Standing up, she stared forlornly at the entrance to alternate worlds that she had created. There was nothing she could do about where he was heading, but she would not allow him to reach his destination with full power.

She sighed, closing her eyes. This was the only way, though it would also affect Morgan and, quite possibly, some section of time. She wished this wasn't the case, but it was a sacrifice that had to be made. It would not kill the boy, at the very least.

She began the incantation to cut Grima's power in half.

* * *

Morgan took another swing at Grima, who raised his arm in defence. The black energy surrounding it blocked the attack before it could even strike.

Grima laughed. "Give up, child!" he said. "You cannot hope to defeat me!"

"I won't let you hurt Lucina!" Morgan replied angrily, taking another futile swing.

Suddenly, the swirling green vortex around them began to flash red. It distracted them enough to cease their fighting.

"What the...?" Morgan asked.

Turning completely red, the vortex began to crackle with electricity.

Grima scowled. "What _is_ this? Naga, what have you-?"

He was unable to finish, as both he and Morgan were consumed with an electrical charge. The area rang with their screams as their every muscle contracted in agony.

Morgan could feel his vision fading. He fought to keep his eyes open, but the effort was too great. The last thing he saw was Grima, falling in the opposite direction while cursing Naga's name, before he blacked out.


	3. Epilogue

Author's note: Hey there! Now it is time for the final instalment of this fic! I hope you enjoy it!

It's much shorter than the other chapters, because it's merely an epilogue. Just to tie up loose ends and whatnot, you know? There wasn't much more that could be done with it.

... Also, if anything looks slightly off, it's likely caused by me owning the European version of the game. *cough*

There are also references to many different supports in this chapter. Props to you if you spot them all!

... This chapter was oddly harder to write than the other two. XD I guess Fire Emblem just wasn't meant to be happy.

Anyway, enough about that. On with the chapter!

* * *

**Part Three****: Epilogue**

The fires crackled beneath the stars, dotting the field with orange specs of light. Noise drifted in all directions as relatives caught up on years either lost or not yet discovered. At one particular fire, light danced across the faces of four individuals.

Lucina smiled at her brother across the flames. "I still can't believe you are engaged now, Morgan," she said.

Morgan grinned back at her, his hand interlinked with Cynthia's. "Yeah, it's pretty weird, isn't it?" he replied.

"Really awesome, though!" Cynthia added.

"You two _had_ been spending a lot of time with each other recently," Lucina said.

"Indeed!" Owain said. "Oft a night, my keen eye would catch such a rendezvous!"

"Well, yeah!" Cynthia replied, grinning at Lucina. "We're both members of the Justice Allegiance, after all! When he's not practising special moves with Owain, he's practising heroic speeches with _me_!"

Lucina chuckled. "You certainly sound like you're having fun," she said to her brother.

"I sure am!" Morgan replied.

"So, how did this engagement come about, may I ask?"

"Oh, remember when I was acting demure?" Cynthia asked.

Lucina cringed. "Oh, that time I mistook you for having brain damage?"

"Yeah, that! Well, Morgan only went and told me that he loves me exactly the way I am!"

"Wow..." Owain replied.

"And it came as such a shock that, at first, I didn't really know how I felt back... but then it kind of hit me like a thunderbolt!" She cleared her throat and posed. "By the might of my lance, I am in love with your brother!"

Everyone in the vicinity let out a chuckle.

"That reminds me..." Morgan said, turning to his sister, "Cynthia mentioned trying to get you to make Falchion glow. How's that working out?"

Lucina sighed. "Unfortunately, I was never able to make Falchion glow at will..." she replied, "despite how many times I... um... cried out 'Come forth, light of justice'..."

"Yeah," Owain added, "she got a few funny looks for that one the other day."

Lucina blushed. "I-It was not my intention to be overheard!"

Morgan laughed. "Oh, Lucina..." he said.

A comfortable silence enveloped the group for a while, as they stared into the crackling flames.

Eventually, Cynthia spoke.

"So... Morg?" she asked.

He looked up at his fiancé. "Hmm?"

"Did you get any of your memories back yet?"

Morgan frowned in thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No. No matter how many times I bash my head against books and posts, I come up with nothing... except for one tiny memory."

"Oh?" Lucina asked.

Morgan turned to address his sister. "I don't remember when it was... but I remember Father smiling at me... and calling my name."

Lucina blinked at him. After a moment, she frowned in thought. "Hmm... well... it isn't much to go on... but the last significant event we shared with Father was your second birthday. Perhaps it happened there?"

"Who knows..."

She smiled. "Though I am glad you've remembered _something_." She paused. "There _was_ the time you mentioned I always kept Falchion by my side in the future... though I assumed that was merely an assumption."

Morgan paused, blinking at her. "Huh... you know, I dunno _what_ that was..."

Cynthia gasped excitedly. "Could it be a memory resurfacing?" she asked.

He grinned at her. "Hey, maybe!"

"Hark!" Owain cried. "The phoenix doth rise again from its ashes!" He paused. "We'll help you get your memories back any way we can! That's a promise!"

Morgan turned his grin on his cousin. "Thanks, Owain!" He paused a moment. "Though it's weird how I can't use Falchion, huh?"

"Yes..." Lucina replied, "it is most strange..."

"You can't use it?" Cynthia asked.

"Nope," Morgan replied, "so I guess Lucina and Father are the only ones who can use it."

"Yeah," Owain agreed, "'cause my mother and I can't do it, either."

"It is a shame..." Lucina said. "It would have been rather beneficial to have multiple members of the royal family able to wield it..."

"Ah, well," Morgan replied. "We'll manage just fine, I'm sure."

"Yeah!" Cynthia agreed. "We'll kick tons of butt, either way!"

"Indeed we shall!" Owain agreed. "With or without the use of your faithful Pointy Demonspanker!"

Lucina flushed a light pink colour. Morgan raised an eyebrow at Owain.

"... Pointy Demonspanker?" he asked.

"Hey, she named it that, not me."

He turned back to his sister. "... Lucina?"

Lucina cleared her throat. "Yes, well..." she replied, placing a hand on the shiny new sheath she'd recieved from Owain, "it was a mistake I shall not repeat."

"Hey, I kinda like it!" Cynthia said. "Villains, beware, or face the wrath of my Pointy Demonspanker of Doom!"

Morgan laughed, his heart swelling with mirth. If the gods ever were to offer him a change of fiancé, he would turn them down without a moment's hesitation.

After a moment, Owain spoke again. "You know..." he said, "speaking of weapons..." He suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Hmm?" Morgan asked.

"My father had 'I Love Lissa' carved onto his sword and lance today..."

Morgan laughed. "Really?"

"Yeah... I mean, I knew he was gonna do it eventually, but it's still really awkward."

Lucina chuckled. "Oh, Uncle Stahl..." she replied. After a pause, she continued. "It's so nice that we are able to have these kinds of conversations now."

"Yeah!" Cynthia replied. "It was almost impossible in the future! Heck, so was getting married! I would never have even _thought_ about it in that world!"

"Two worlds..." Owain said, "parallel on the exterior, though opposite on the underlay..."

"Right," Lucina replied with a smile.

Another comfortable silence blanketed the group. Basking in the quiet air around their campfire, Morgan closed his eyes and began to hum.

"... Inventing more songs, Morgan?" Lucina asked.

Morgan opened his eyes. "Yup!" he replied. "That one's a work-in-progress, though."

"It sounds good, so far."

"Thanks!" He paused. "Oh, speaking of which... do you still have those flowers I gave you?"

"Yes. I placed them in a vase in my tent. They certainly brighten up the place."

"I saw them earlier!" Cynthia said. "They were really pretty!"

"More vibrant than a field of deepest green, residing beneath an arching rainbow of hope!" Owain added. He paused. "Say, Morgan, you still up for the Justice Allegiance meeting tomorrow?"

"Ooh, a meeting~?" Cynthia asked.

"Of course!" Morgan replied. "I wouldn't miss it!"

"You'll be yelling special moves at each other, right? Can I come?"

"Sure! Oh, as long as Owain's okay with it."

"Any fellow member of the Justice Allegiance is welcome!" Owain replied.

"Awesome! Hey, Lucina, do _you_ wanna join the Justice Allegiance?"

Lucina smiled. "No, thank you," she replied. "Though I would be interested in observing, if that's alright."

"Certainly!"

Cynthia giggled. "Maybe we should invite Gerome!" she said.

"Gerome?" Morgan asked, confused.

"Yeah! I mean, he used to be in the Justice Allegiance, you know!"

Morgan laughed. "No way!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah," Owain agreed, "he used to be quite into it, back in the day. Good luck getting him to join _now_, though!"

Everyone chuckled at the thought.

After a few moments of peaceful quietness, the four teens directed their attention towards other campfires. All around, their friends were conversing with their families and loved ones. Chatter and laughter rang throughout the night air.

At one of the nearest campfires, a group consisting of four parental figures was deep in discussion. Upon catching their group's eye, Lissa grinned and waved. Glancing up, Stahl, Sumia and Frederick also smiled and waved. Their children returned the gesture in kind.

Morgan smiled. Though it was true that he was unable to remember the future past – and he would strive to retrieve those memories, if at all possible – the present held more than enough happiness to sustain him. After all, it contained his friends, his family and his brand new fiancé, all of which he treasured dearly.

Approaching footsteps interrupted his train of thought. Glancing up, he noticed two figures approaching.

As the figures came to a stop beside the group, the faces of his parents smiled down at him. He smiled back in response.

"Hey," Robin said. "Mind if we join you guys?"

"Not at all!" Morgan replied.

"Of course not," Lucina agreed.

"No objections here!" Cynthia added.

"Nor here," Owain said.

"Thanks," Robin replied.

"Yes, thank you," Chrom added.

The two of them seated themselves between their children of matching navy hair.

Chrom turned to his future daughter-in-law. "Well, I suppose congratulations are in order." He smiled warmly at her. "Welcome to the family, Cynthia."

"Whoo, thanks!" Cynthia replied. "Father was over the moon when I told him!"

Chrom sighed, still smiling. "Yes, I'll bet he was..."

Robin chuckled at her husband. "Frederick always was rather fond of you," she said.

"Yes... perhaps a little _too_ much, sometimes..."

"Heh." Robin turned to Cynthia. "Anyway, I'm with Chrom on this one. I'm sure you'll make a fine wife for Morgan."

"Thanks a bunch, Robin!" Cynthia replied.

"No problem. I mean, you already felt rather like a daughter to me, anyway. It's just more official, now. At least, it _will_ be, once the wedding rolls around."

Cynthia grinned. "Yeah, totally!" She paused a moment. "Hey, maybe that means I should start calling you Mother-in-law!"

Robin chuckled in response.

Morgan turned to grin at Lucina and Owain, who returned the gesture in varying degrees. Yes, he decided, as Cynthia's grip tightened reassuringly around his fingers. He would take his sister's advice and make new memories with the people he cherished. He knew not exactly what he'd forgotten from the world they'd left behind, but perhaps Lucina had been right. Perhaps it truly didn't matter.

**The End**


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